President Cyril Ramaphosa has appealed to the private sector to help curb the scourge of youth unemployment in South Africa. He delivered the keynote address at the 50th commemoration of the June 16 Soweto uprising, now known as National Youth Day. Despite gains made by the democratic government to change lives, five decades later, young people face the struggle of unemployment and lack of economic opportunities. President Ramaphosa says business can help absorb young people to help them realise their potential. “Unemployment must be seen
as a societal problem. Government has a responsibility to continuously take action to address this problem. However, the private sector has a responsibility to also address the challenge of unemployment, and we say to the private sector, which is the biggest employer in any economy – open your doors to the employment of young people. Government will not ask you to carry that risk alone, through the Employment Tax Incentive, we already share the cost of bringing young people into their first job.” President @CyrilRamaphosa
called on employers across South Africa to play an active role in addressing youth unemployment by creating opportunities for young people to enter the world of work and gain valuable experience. The President emphasised the importance of investing in… pic.twitter.com/OinohUDA61 — The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) June 16, 2026
Cyril Ramaphosa, youth unemployment, private sector, Employment Tax Incentive, National Youth Day, June 16 Soweto uprising, South Africa